


Just Fine

by RonnieSilverlake



Series: Liquefied Love [8]
Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Jealousy, M/M, Tumblr: makoharufestival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-22
Updated: 2014-01-22
Packaged: 2018-01-09 16:40:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1148307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RonnieSilverlake/pseuds/RonnieSilverlake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"You were always laughing."</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Fine

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [MakoHaru Festival](http://makoharufestival.tumblr.com) on tumblr.  
> Day 8  
> Prompt: Jealous

"I love you," Haruka says simply.

 _It was such an odd progression_ , Makoto thinks with a smile, as he scoots closer on the couch, and presses a kiss against Haruka's cheek. He still can't get used to this; it's funny to think back to how Haruka has always been talking about being  _free_ , but compared to what he is like nowadays, one cannot truly say he used to be, back then. Makoto likes to think it is at least partially thanks to him, to the relationship they now share, that Haruka has gotten more used to freely expressing himself, even if he mostly only does it when him and Makoto are alone.

One step at a time.

"But I didn't always."

Makoto freezes up, even as Haruka's fingers thread into his hair, the sudden confession leaving him breathless and goosefleshed. What could that possibly mean? It doesn't sound good, not at all. If he dared to meet Haruka's eyes, he would see that the azure gaze is apologetic, and a little bit amused, but he doesn't - he looks in the other direction, and tries to swallow. "W-What do you mean, Haru?" he asks weakly, and it takes a sharp poke in the ribs for him to turn back towards the other, startled - only to have Haru's lips press against his without warning. Whatever else he meant to ask dies in his throat immediately; as it was proven before, it's hard for him to stay focused on negative feelings when the other is this close to him.

Haruka breaks the kiss first, lowering his head, and pressing its side against Makoto's chest, as if listening to his heartbeat. "When I first met you, I didn't like you at all."

"What do you mean...?" Makoto repeats, but he is nowhere near as frantic anymore. Haruka really doesn't sound like all of this is a big deal; it sounds nothing more than a story, and Makoto is willing to listen, even though he rather dislikes the beginning thus far.

"I was jealous."

Makoto blinks, confused; Haruka's voice is the usual, almost emotionless except for a slight hint of something that would be undetectable to anyone else, and even Makoto has a hard time figuring out what exactly it is. He simply waits, but it seems that Haruka wants to be urged on, and after a couple of seconds of silence, Makoto decides, with a semi-amused smile, to humour him. "Why jealous? It's not like I was cool as a kid," he notes with a small chuckle. "Haru-chan was the cool one."

Haruka glances up. "That's what you thought?"

Makoto nods. "I was a bit jealous of Haru-chan, too," he admits. "You were never picked on by anyone. You seemed like a really strong person."

"Not knowing how to make friends isn't really a strength," Haruka states flatly, and Makoto is once again a little stunned. Is that how Haruka thought about it back then? It seems strange to think about it now; the memories are a little glossy, after all this time, but as Makoto remembers it, Haruka had no problem making friends with  _him_. As Makoto remembers it, Haruka just decided to step right next to him and take his hand, and from that day on, anyone who wanted to pick on Makoto had Haruka to answer to; Makoto was safe, and happy to have such a friend.

Haruka seems to remember differently, though. He settles a little more comfortably, leaning against Makoto's side rather than his chest (the couch isn't wide enough for that, unless he sits in his lap and... he'd rather concentrate on the conversation right now), and laces their fingers together, glancing up to find those light green eyes again, and lock their gazes as he says, "It seemed so easy for you to make friends." Makoto blinks, but he doesn't interrupt this time, as Haruka is already continuing, "Even if some people picked on you, there were loads more who liked you. You laughed so easily. You were always laughing."  _Almost always_ , Makoto thinks, but he's too bewildered to say anything. "I really wanted to be like that, too."

Makoto can't help but laugh this time. "Haru-chan wanted to be like me? That sounds so impossible."

"Well, it  **was** impossible," Haruka huffs, and for the first time, he averts his eyes. Makoto feels himself grow more and more curious by the second. "I felt stupid even trying. And it made me angry. I thought Makoto was stupid for being able to do it so easily."

"Haru," Makoto sounds really amused now, but Haruka isn't done yet.

"So I thought, if I can't make the skill mine, I'll make  _Makoto_ mine."

Whatever Makoto wanted to say a moment ago, has completely flown from his mind in a split second. His mouth is actually agape, but Haruka still isn't looking at him; he is resolutely staring in the opposite direction, a brilliant blush beginning to bloom on his cheeks.

"So," Makoto manages after about half a minute of stunned silence, "are you saying you... you made friends with me  _because_ you were jealous of me...?" He thinks it sounds ridiculous, even just saying it out loud like that, but Haruka just nods mutely, the expression on his face giving the impression of a fish out of water. ( _What a fitting image for him_ , Makoto thinks fleetingly, but he's just too shocked to even feel amused at that right now.)

"You're making it sound weird..."

"Well, it  **is** weird!" Makoto protests, and Haruka's expression begins to turn sour. "I mean," the brunet continues, and from the way his tone shifts, the shorter one knows he is not being made fun of anymore, "it doesn't make much sense, does it? For Haru to be jealous of me, when he was always just fine the way he was."

Haruka has no idea what to say to this; he ducks his head in a completely useless attempt to hide the redness of his face, and doesn't look up again, not even when Makoto speaks again, his tone once more a mixture of confusion, curiosity, and teasing.

"And you... didn't like me...?"

Haruka gives a noncommittal shrug. "I thought I didn't, at the time," he admits, his voice dropping lower as he finally looks back in the direction of the taller one. His tone softens then, a hand raising and cupping Makoto's cheek in his palm. "I'm not so sure anymore - if I was envious of Makoto and wanted to be like him, then I surely had to like what Makoto was, right?"

"... That is  _way_ too confusing," Makoto states, but he is still smiling, and the next moment, his own voice becomes hushed as well, his own palm reaching up to cover Haruka's as his gaze softens in that special way that only happens for Haruka, and Haruka only. "Well, one thing is for sure..."

"What is that?"

"Haru definitely made me  _his_."

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism is always appreciated! If you liked it, please like/reblog the [original post](http://makoharufestival.tumblr.com/post/74261036147/challenge-jealous-user-streganicha-rating-sfw)!


End file.
